The Red Fern
by Loveableheart
Summary: The 73rd Hunger Games included a District 7 girl named Fern. She's 15, and faces certain death in the Arena. Or does she? Follow Fern in her journey trying to survive these dangerous Games! .: I don't own Hunger Games :. Rated T because it's the Hunger Games P.S- This story starts at the Cornucopia!
1. The Games Begin: Cornucopia

**So, I've started my OWN story only focusing on one tribute. Will she survive, will she win? Could go either way. =)**

**I hope you will like it, and review at them bottom. Thanks!**

**~Meghan**

* * *

**Fern's POV**

I take deep breaths as the plate pushes me up into the light from above. The first thing I notice is the violent wind. It swirls down into the tube. My head is almost out of it.

The wind chills my skin, and my red hair flies around all around me, so I see waves of red. I crouch, and press my hands to the plate.

My boots stay on the metal circle, and I take breaths.

I'm wearing some cargo pants, a tight, green, long-sleeved shirt, and a black windbreaker. I look around the arena, after I push my hair back.

It's rocky and full of scruffy grass. However, over a cliff, maybe 1 mile away, there's a pine forest. I notice the baking sun, and the strong wind.

"Ladies and Gentleman!" I hear Cladius Templesmith boom. "Let the 73rd Hunger Games... Begin!"

For a moment, it's silence. Then, I hear an explosion. I gasp, and grip the sides of the metal plate as a few people scream and something flies over my head. I blink and look over. The place where the District 6 boy was is now coated in red and other materials I _don't _want to identify.

I wonder what happened then realize that the boy must've been blown off his plate, or stumbled, and was blown to bits. He was 17, I think.

One girl, I think the 13 year old District 6 girl is crying. Her name is Trolley if memory serves right.

Trying to ignore the death of this boy, I look at the Cornucopia. The good stuff is mostly closer to the horn, but I see a medium sized backpack about 20 yards ahead of me, and I ready myself to run. Blight said _not_ to fight, Johanna said_ to_ fight. I don't know if I should go for the center or not. I got a 9 in training, which isn't high, but would some of the other tributes target me?

My green eyes scan the half-circle of us. The girl from 8, 14 year old Spindle is positioned to run- but not to the Cornucopia, to the cliffs.

I'm 15. I can sprint fast enough to reach it, right? I swallow and then a glint catches my eye closer to the center of the mouth. 3 throwing axes.

I let a gasp escape my lips again. Mine. The Gamemakers _must _have put those there for me, right?

And if I don't get them, the Careers will. I look at them. The District 1 girl, Shimmer, District 2 girl Pepper, the District 2 boy Leon, the District 4 boy, Tide, and the District 4 girl, Morgan.

I hear the gong and I'm startled for a second, and my feet shuffle between staying and leaving.

"Move!" I say to myself, and I jump down from my plate and begin running. The Cornucopia is on a patch of soft grass, so the closer you get, the more slippery the grass gets, as if it's been drenched in dew.

Someone slips and then screams. I notice Shimmer above her, repeatedly stabbing her with a knife.

Adrenaline shoots through me, and I try to block the picture out. A 12-year old girl slips, maybe, 10 yards in front of me, and the District 10 boy raises his sword, about to be-head her until the District 5 boy barrels into him.

"Don't touch the little girl!" He roars.

The boy was scrambling to get away from him. The 18 year old made of muscle grabs the boy by the head and turns it. I hear a sickening _"snap"_ and look over to find the boy sinking to the ground.

The girl was the District 5 girl. She smiles up at her District partner and he grabs her hand and they run for the large field of boulders.

I shiver and notice I've stopped moving. I look around, and find my mind confused. There's so much commotion... where do I go again? I look towards the axes and find them still there, safely sitting on top of the sleeping bag.

I start to move towards them again, and then someone's on top of me. I scream as they hit my head on the dirt and I cough and sputter dirt and blink in the sun to find the District 8 boy raising his knife.

I move my head in time to avoid the hit, and try to move but he pins my arms down. "Don't try, District 7. It's over."

I glare at him. He only laughs. "What were you going for, huh?" He traces my face with the blade and I look at his eyes. "Now maybe you and you're... _freind _will be together."

_Friend? What's he talking about? _The boy smirks and raises the knife again, and I watch it glint in the sun, determined to stare him down until I die. Instead his smile falters and the blade slips from his hand and falls beside me. I notice the girl from 11 raising another knife again, as if to throw at me.

I grab the boy's blade and don't think about it when I throw it. She raises her's to throw, and my knife spins through the air.

I watch it hit her in the chest, her knives fall to the ground, and the girl follow them. Suddenly, I remember what I just did. I might've just killed someone.

Tears fill my eyes. I wasn't planning to. I wasn't even thinking about what would happen when I threw it- only saving my own life. In a way, she saved mine, and I just murdered her.

"I'm sorry," I whisper as I stand up. My boots are now slick with blood and my hair is full of grass and feels sticky. I stumble over and slip to my knees, weak from everything I've just witnessed.

I roll onto my back, unable to move. A Career runs and then stops, looking at me. He points. "Her?"

Another runs over. My tears blur my eyes, so I can't identify them. "She's dead. Don't you see the blood? C'mon, get the others!"

They move away and I breathe out. _They think I'm dead... wait... what blood? _My eyes move over the side of my head, and I find a puddle of blood getting bigger under my hair. Only then am I aware of the throbbing in my skull.

The District 8 boy... When he slammed my head in the dirt. There must've been a rock or something, because it made a cut in the back of my head.

I feel my stomach churning like I'm going to be sick, but I force it to stop. Instead I take deep breaths, trying to will myself to stand. I manage to get up on all fours, and see the axes. They'll keep me alive here if I can just reach them... My world is turning all fuzzy. Am I loosing too much blood?

Like a child, I crawl towards them, and finally reach ones handle. I laugh a little. I did it... I reached them... now to get out. I hear another scream behind me, and guess it's another tribute.

Wrapping my arms around them all, I stand up on shaking legs and start to stumble over back to my plate. The other tributes ignore me, too busy with other threats. I manage to reach the smaller backpack I had seen earlier. I put two of the axes into the front pocket, and hold the third, and begin walking after I slip on the straps.

I manage to jog out past the plates, and look back in time to see one girl about to grab one bag, but instead get speared by Leon.

I suck in air and force my eyes to look at the dirt and keep walking.

I make up to the field of boulders and fall beside one of them. I shakily open the pack and feel around for- _Bandages!_

Sloppily, I wrap them around the wound and clip it together, right before I black out.


	2. The Games Continue: Allies

**Second chapter is up!**

**I hope you like it!**

**~Meghan**

* * *

**Fern's POV**

I'm awoken by the Anthem playing, and sit upright- one hand on my axe

I look up to find the seal and grimace. This is where they'll show the dead tributes...

The first to appear is the District 3 boy. Then the rest follow: District 6 boy, my District partner, the boy from eight, both from nine, the boy from 10, both from 11 (yes, there's the girl I killed,) and both from 12.

11 dead in the first few hours. I can't beleive Timmer is dead... He said he didn't stand a chance. I guess he was right. Although, he was 16- he should've been some what of a threat.

I feel my head and find that the back of my hair is dried up with something. I sigh and decide that I should check through me pack just to see what's in there. Maybe the dark will protect me, though I barely beleive this.

I pour it's contents onto the hard dirt. A small spool of twine, two hooks, a sling-shot, a pack of dried friut, some matches, some aloe and cut dis-infectant, a pack of dried beef, and then two bottles of water. One looks like it could last a day and is filled with water. The other is a half-gallon bottle and is completely dry.

I become aware of the dryness in my throat and how much my tongue feels like bark. I twist open the container full of water and take a few sips at a time, leaving half of the bottle for tommorow.

"What's that?" I hear a voice, and I begin shaking.

_No! Someone couldn't have found me already! That's impossible!_

"I don't know," comes a reply.

Foot-steps get closer, and I grapple for my axe.

Feet round the corner of a rock and I can see luminous blue eyes staring down at me. "Look! Hendrix!"

My eyes focus and I see in the dim moonlight, that a girl is pointing at me. The District 5 girl.

The big eighteen year old boy walks over too. He glares at my axe and steps infront of the little girl.

I can't seem to find any words, so I just sit there, my axe pointing at them. I wouldn't hurt them; however if the boy attacks me, I'll have no choice.

"No, Hendrix, it's fine. She's the girl I told you about!" Says the little girl. My face must have a puzzled expression because she giggles, her pig-tails moving around on her shoulders. "I don't know if she remembers..."

The boy looks at me. By now, I've guessed his name is Hendrix. Anyway, Hendrix looks at the girl. He mumbles something. The girls nods.

"Can we? Please?" She begs.

Sill confused, I look at them and notice I've lowered my weapon.

He sighs and finally nods.

The girl grins. "Yay!" She steps towards me, and holds out her hand. "C'mon. Don't be scared. I won't hurt you."

_I doubt you could..._ I think, but Hendrix definitly could. He stares at my eyes, daring me to pick my axe up again.

"Hendrix said you could be our ally," she says. Then her eyebrows knit together. "You're hurt..."

My hand natrually goes up to the bandage. "It's nothing," I whisper.

"No, you might loose blood! And you're hair! It's soaked in it!" She exclaims.

Hendrix nods. "Lexi is right," he says in a deep voice. "What happened?"

"The boy from eight..." I murmer.

"Oh..." says Lexi, her smile dissapearing. "I saw him tonight... in the sky..." She pauses, then look at me. "Did you kill him?"

I shake my head. "No. The girl from 11 did. Then she tried to kill me."

Lexi smiles. "Well, don't worry. She's dead, I saw it." '_Course she is, I killed her._ I want to say, but I don't for some reason. Instead, I let Hendrix and Lexi lead me to their small cmap.

They have a fire, but they set rocks up, sort of in a pointed tent fashion around it, keeping the light from showing and too much smoke escaping. You just place you're hands on the rocks and they warm up. I do have to admit, this night is chilly.

"So," Lexi says. "Want to collect?"

I blink, confused. "Huh?"

He giggles again. "That's what we call putting our things together back in five. What did you get at the Cornucopia?"

I show them everything and tell them how I got the axes. Hendrix nods, Lexi grins.

"Hendrix saved me from the Boy from 9. I had just grabbed a first-aid kit and a loaf of bread and a flash-light when I slipped. He tried to kill me, but Hendrix didn't let him." Lexi says.

"Are you two siblings?" I ask.

They both laugh a little and Lexi shakes her head. "No, but Hendrix says I remind him of his little sister. He wants to protect me."

He nods. "I won't let anyone touch her."

Somehow, I take this as a warning, but I don't say anything. I wouldn't hurt a little girl, anyway.

"Do you think I should go get some water?" I ask.

Lexi opens her eyes wide. "You have water?"

I nod and look at the pile. I notice I had forgotten to include to the half-filled bottle of water. I look in the pack and find it in there. I take it out and Lexi's eyes follow it.

"What? You don't have any water?" I ask.

They both shake their heads. I hand them the bottle, and Hendrix looks at it. He looks at Lexi, and hands it to her. She drinks half of the remaining water and then offers it to Hendirx.

"No, drink," he says, and tips the bottle up to her mouth.

Obediently, she drinks the rest. "I can look for water," I say.

Lexi nods. "Tommorow. Tommorow, we'll find some water."

I smile. "Alright."

And then we sleep, and this time... I'm not scared.


	3. The Games Continue: Water

**Second chapter is up!**

**I hope you like it! And does anyone know what a "correct photo file" is?**

**~Meghan**

* * *

**Fern's POV**

_"And our girl is... Fern Redwood!"_

_"No! Fern!"_

_"Come on up, sweetie!"_

_"Fern! No! Please, Fern! I need you! Don't go!"_

_"Pine, stop... Let go..."_

_"No! I won't! Get off of me!"_

_"Don't hurt her!"_

_"Fern! Fern, please! FERN!"_

I wake up with a start, and find that my cheeks are wet. I feel them and find that the skin there is wet with tears.

I try to forget the dream, but how can you forget something that actually happened? I turn my head and gasp.

"Gosh... Lexi, don't do that to me..."

Her blue eyes twinkle and she smiles. "Sorry. I've been watching you sleep. You say a lot of things..." Her mouth twitches. "Whose Pine?" She whispers.

I sigh, and find myself smiling a little. "She's my little sister. She's 11..."

"Oh," Lexi says. "Did she not want you to go?"

"Not want me to go?" I say with a breathy laugh. "She tried to pull me off stage. Peacekeepers had to come get her..."

Lexi smiles. "Well, yesterday you said we could look for water. Hendrix is out looking for food."

I nod. "Well, our first step is to find a mountain... Maybe... No, that's too risky."

She looks at me. "What's too risky? You can trust me."

I smile and shake my head. "No, it's that... I don't trust the others... I was going to say we should split up but..."

"But what?" She asks.

I look at the ground. "That's what got my older sister killed five years ago in the Games..."

"Oh," she murmers. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," I say. "You didn't know. Besides, that's in the past, right? _Look to the futare!_ That's what my mother would say."

She giggles and I smile. "Now, about that water. I think our best bet is looking for an animal. They have to drink too, right? Maybe there's a jackrabbit or prarie dog here."

"What if they drink from a cactus? I've hear that some cactuses are poisuness," she says.

I nod. "That's right. _But _the Gamemakers _have _to put in another source of water besides the Cornucopia, right?"

She smiles. "Then let's get looking."

About 2 hours of walking result in us following a very quick antelope.

"Fern, I have a question..." Lexi whispers. I look down at her.

She's used her windbreaker as a hat which blocks out the sun, but the wind is still vicious. Near our camp, we have all those boulders keeping the wind from reaching us. Here, there isn't that much protection. She's also used the slingshot from my basket and has it loaded with a stone, pointing it at any sound.

I, on the other hand, hold our pack and the water bottles. Hendrix took the sword he got, and I only took 1 of my axes.

"If this animal can be out here, dosen't there have to be a predator?" She looks at me. Over her nose is a small pink blush created form the sun. "What's that predoter, Fern?"

_Hyena?_ That's the first thing to pop into my head. Now Lexi has me worried. She's right, though. What if there's some... monster thing out here. Or worse... What if there's a mutt?

She purses her lips. "What if the Tributes are the predator?"

_That's possible..._ Of course it is. The Gamemakers have to supply the tributes with meat, right? Unfortunately, I don't have the heart to kill anything. No meat for us.

"Could be," I say. "But that makes me _just _as nervous..."

"Nervous about what?" Lexi asks.

"Well, life, I guess... Really, only one comes out... So me and you..." I drift off, because I finally get the grasp of what I'm talking about.

Either me or Lexi will have to die... One of us won't make it out. That is, considering that one of us _actually _makes it... I decide to get off the subject. "Lexi, tell me about you're family."

"Oh, not much to tell. I'm an orphan. My parents didn't want me," she says surprisingly mellow.

"Well, that's there loss," I say. I mean it, too. She reminds me of Pine. Almost. Not much though. They have the same eyes. Whenever I look at them, I think: _Pine, I miss you so much..._

"Water!"

I hear Lexi say the word, but still don't leave my thoughts. It takes her about five times saying my name to get me to look up.

She's right a beautiful spring of water. We fill up everything with water and drink it greedily. I've never had a drink that tasted so good.

A cannon makes me gasp and drop the canister half filled with water. The liquid sloshes out and spills on the hard ground only to dissapear a second later.

I pick it up and sigh. Lexi looks down. I guess 12 tributes left.

"Who do you think it was?" She whisperes.

I shrug. "Who knows."

"What if it was Hendrix," she says.

"No chance," I reply. "He had the sword. And he's strong."

"So the Careers," she whispers.

The though makes me look over my shoulder. I fill up the rest of the canteens quickly, and we start walking back.

By the time we get back at camp they've already shown the dead tribute. It was the District 3 girl. She was 14, I think.

"Did you find some?" Hendrix asks.

"You tell me," I say and drop all 7 bottles and canteens and containeres of water. He grins and opens on up, drinking slowly.

"Can I go to sleep?" Lexi says raspily.

I nod. She smiles. "Good-night, Hendrix. Good-night Fern."

She goes to sleep quickly, and I sit down, holding my axe, waiting for the night to be over.


	4. The Games Continue: Storms

**I hope like the fourth chapter!**

**I hope to see you're reveiw at the bottom!**

**Also. I'm going to start thanking people for reviewing chapters. Thanks to:**

Crazyllamapersonlol** &** Marshie Mallow **for reveiwing chapter 1**

**P.S.- Thanks for reading**

* * *

**Fern's POV**

_"Pine... Pine, you have to listen to me!"_

_"No... I don't want you to go..."_

_"... Me either... But, you have to stay strong, alright? Take care of Axel, alright?"_

_"Alright... Promise that you'll win?"_

_"Pine- you know I can't promise that..."_

_"Times up,"_

_"No!"_

_"Pine, please don't worry!"_

_"Fern, please! Promise!"_

_"Pine, I,"_

_"PROMISE!"_

_"Let's go outside..."_

_"Pine! I promise..."_

I wake up by a crackle in the sky. A raindrop hits my forehead and I blink.

"What the-" The sky explodes into another bolt of fire that strikes the ground not even two feet from me. I gasp as I feel the heat.

I look at our supplies. The sword, slingshot, book-bags- everything is being soaked by rain. The blanket that was over Lexi is now soaked.

"Hendrix! Lexi!" I shout over the down-pour. "Get up!"

"What's going on?" Lexi shouts back.

Really, she has a point. Just starting a storm is weird, and it happened so suddenly. But, the Gamemakers can kill all of us at the push of a button.

Hendrix is already picking her up along with two of the packs. and his sword.

I grab her blanket, the slingshot, my bag and axes and kick the stones from the fire over and run. Where to, I'm not sure.

The Gamemakers are no idiots, although I like to think so. They made this storm purposely. It's made to weaken us. I'm shivering and my hand is frozen around the handle of my axe.

And it doesn't make this better when I see five shadows running through the wind. The Careers.

Hendrix stops, looking between me and them.

I shake my head. "You have Lexi. Just _run!_ They've seen us... I'll lead them off track. I'll be fine," I say.

He nods and then continues running (against Lexi's shouts,) towards the forest.

I look around and back to the garden of boulders. I look at them and run. Through the large rocks, weaving my way through them.

I hear shouts of "I kill them!" "No I do!" from behind me and I only notice how fast my heart is beating.

My heels dig into the dirt as I continue running until I run into a rock.

My vision blurs for a moment and I shuffle confused. I hear a whistling noise and have the sense to duck. A throwing knife hits the rock behind me and falls to the ground. I pick it up and throw it far away and keep running.

Bad idea. They've split up and I see Leon and Morgan on either side. I turn around and find Shimmer and Clover on the other.

My breathing quickens. I can't get out of this... I'm about to cry when I curl my icy fingers around the handle of my axe. My breath catches as I grip it tightly.

I notice Morgan raising a trident and I do the only thing I can. I raise my axe. I look at her and suddenly the world freezes. I count the circles in my head and finally let it go.

I run towards her and I hear an angered yell from Leon and I almost think I hear a cannon in the storm. Running by the dead girl from 4, I grab the weapon and continue running.

I don't look back only know that I'm running towards where I last Lexi and Hendrix go.

"Lexi!" I yell, running forward, my red hair plastered to my face and neck.

"Be quiet, do you _want _to get us killed?" says the unmistakable voice of Hendrix.

I turn around and find him almost smiling. Then he looks at the weapon I threw. It must have red on the end or something because he says one word: "Who?"

"The girl from 4," I say. "Morgan. She was about to kill me... I had no choice."

"I'm not objecting, but you're going to be a target for the Careers now," he says as we start walking towards what I'm guessing is our new camp.

"We were already targets," I object. "Besides, now that she's gone, we'll stand more of chance to them. There are only four Careers now."

"We shouldn't tell Lexi that it was you," Hendrix says.

They've made a nice camp on the ground and I agree to climb a tree and be lookout. I barely hear the anthem over the thunders, but the trees protect us from rain.

However, I do see the faces of people in the sky. Two. There's Morgan. I see her blue eyes, brown hair, tan skin... It makes me angry t myself that i killed something...

But the other face is from the District 10 girl.

Then, the sky fades and I climb down, ready to rest.

_Tributes Alive: 10_

_Tributes Dead: 14_


	5. The Games Continue: Feasts

**This is a very SPECIAL chapter!**

**And at the end, tell me if you think I'm going to continue or not. I will continue, but if i goes bad for fern, I'll continue from a Captiol persons perspective!**

**Enjoy!**

**~Meghan**

* * *

_"What District are we in?"_

_"Probably nine."_

_"Now lets talk arena."_

_"No need."_

_"What are you talking about?"_

_"I don't plan on making it out of this."_

_"I do. I have to get back to Pine... I have too..."_

I'm awaken by the boom of a cannon.

"Go to sleep," Hendrix whispers. It's morning and the pine forest smells exactly like home. Once I'm awake I can't sleep.

Maybe five minutes later, I hear a high pitched scream, and then another cannon.

"What was that?" I ask Hendrix.

He shrugs. "Could've been anything, really."

I nod. "Well, go to sleep. I'll take watch."

He nods and lays down. We've been here for about three days and I've been worried about something. True, one of those things _is _the careers finding us, but I'm scared for Lexi.

She's been shaking a lot, no eating, looking thinner and thinner, not talking, and whispering to herself. Plus, she's coughing and none of the medicine we had has worked. I think she's gotten sick either from the rain, or some wierd bug mutt has bitten her.

Speaking of, she's whispering _the key... the rock... must find key..._ to herself in her sleep. She's been talking nonsense and Hendrix has been ignoring her.

I try to remember whose left. The boy from One, Shimmer, Leon, Clover, Tide, Hendrix, Lexi, Trolley, Me, and Spindle. Have the Games been moving that fast? We've been here exactly one week. And two people are dead now.

And I have personally killed the girls from both Four and Eleven.

At the moment there are two alliances that I know of. Shimmer, Leon, Clover, and Tide. Then, me Lexi, and Hendrix. The boy from One, Trolley, and Spindle have no one.

I bite my fingernails and think. Eight people are left. Five people are left outside of our alliance...

My thoughts are interrupted by a rustle above us. I look up and see a parachute. Grinning, I quickly climb up the tree, grab the sposor item, and climb back down.

Inside is three pieces of bread. There's a star for District five with sugar on it and then a brown on flavored by maple syrup for Seven. I take a bite into mine and taste the sweet taste and smile.

I almost drop my bread when I hear the voice of Cladius Templesmith. "Congratualtions to you lucky final eight tributes! I hope you all are doing well, but if not... I have a proposition. Some of you need something dearly. Maybe it's not for you, but I implore you to come to a Feast. In three minutes where the Cornucopia was. That is all."

I turn around to find Hendrix sitting upright. "I'll go."

I shake my head. "No, I will. We need that medicine for Lexi. At least I hope that's what's in the bag..."

Hendrix nods. "Alright. I'll be watching from the side."

We wake up Lexi and she looks at me. "You don't have to do this."

I nod. "I do. Now, you'll have to stay near Hendrix."

And so I grab an ax and make my way down the field which is only a mile from here, but it's down hill, so I sprint and soon I can see a stone table that has risen up.

On it is a bag marked one, one marked two, one marked four, one marked five, one marked six, one marked seven, and one marked eight. I look over and find Spindle running towards her bag. She grabs it and looks around and dashes back to where she came from. Then, Trolley swiftly runs to the table glances at the bags, then over her shoulder, and swipes up two bags. Not just Six but Seven.

"Hey!" I shout.

She turns around towards the sound of my voice and I didn't notice but I had stepped out from behind a large boulder. She makes a little squeaking sound and scampers off.

I sigh figuring it's not worth chasing her down. But I run in, grab te bag marked five and turn around. That's when I see the girl from one running at me, holding several throwing stars. She has a bad cut above her left arm and her hair is all ratty. I suppose the time in the arena hasn't done her well.

I duck the first few and try to run but on hits my leg and I slip to the ground. She practically jumps on me.

"So, hello Seven," she says.

"Get off of me!" I shout. When she threw the first star, I totally dropped my weapon and now I can't reach it.

"So, I suppose you want to know why I didn't chase down those last girls. Well, I'll tell you anyway. For one thing, they're both thirteen and fourteen... and two, last year, your stupid cousin... Maple, was that her name?" Shimmer asks.

I had forgotten about that. I let my eyes shift up to the top right corner where I see Hendrix's faint outline running down towards me.

"Well... it was the third week in the arena... early morning... My sister was the last of her alliance and badly injured. And you're cousin... Jumped from a tree, and choked my sister. I cried for a full day. And you know what made me better? My sister came in third. You cousin was in the final two... And the girl from nine killer you're cousin didn't she?" Shimmer continues.

I feel tears well up in my eyes. I hated that. Maple was trying to run from then Nine girl, but she couldn't. And the District nine girl caught up to her and slowly cut lines into her until my cousin bled to death. And I had to watch it.

"Well... I've decided to do the same to you... You have a sister, right?" Shimmer asked, a blond pig-tail dropped from her should as put her stars down. "Maybe now she'll know exactly what I went through."

Her brown eyes lock on mine and she smiles, putting her hands on my shoulders. "Any last words?" she asks, moving her hands up to my neck.

I nod. "Behind you."

She raises an eyebrow. "What?"

By now, she's starting tightening her hand. I try to stretch my neck, but it just makes it worse. I feel my throat starting to close up and she gives a sort of laugh. "Aw? I'm sorry? Do you need air? Well, so did my sister. But I couldn't help her and no one can help you..."

I look back and see Hendrix still at least one hundred yards back. _Hendrix! Hurrey! HURREY!_

I start feel... numb and strange. The word turns blurry, I can only hear my heart, slowly beating, and see the colors of Shimmer's hair, skin, shirt, jacket, and the terrain around her.

And then I open my mouth, trying to breathe, and I can't. She smirks and I can hear her just as the edges of my vision begin turning black. "I wonder if your sisters watching..."

Then the black starts to take over my vision and I realize I'm closing my eyes. I can hear a voice. Pine's voice... _"Please... Fern... Wake up..." _then Maples... the voice she had at the end of her games. _"Please! Stop! Don't kill me!"_

suddenly I felt as if I was being lifted up, like I was floating... A thought dawned on me then too... Hendrix wasn't going to get here in time...

And then I heard Shimmer's voice one last time. "Bye-Bye Seven."


	6. The Games Continue: Confessions

**Fern's POV**

I blink my eyes, and feel stillness around me. _Am I dead? Did Shimmer kill me?_

Once my vision clears, I see the pine trees, and feel hard ground. "I'm alive."

Hendrix nods from beside me and Lexi coughs, and flings her arms around me. "Oh, Fern! I was so scared!"

"What?" I groan, rubbing my neck. "What happened? I just remember Shimmer choking me."

"Right after you blanked out," Hendrix explains. "I got in a fight with Shimmer. It lasted for a while, and finally we just stopped. She cut me pretty bad, but I cut off one of her pig-tails and gave her a black eye. She took Lexi's medicine and then ran for cover before I could catch her. Probably back to Pepper, Tide, and Leon. Then I carried you back, and you slept for three days."

"_Three days?_" I say loudly. "Who's dead? What's happened?"

Lexi grins. "A mutt swarm of locust. They must hate pine trees, because they didn't bother us. Leon got gobbled up by them."

"And the boy from One was the person who died on the Feast day. Then, Spindle did-probably from the dehydration, and finally Leon," Hendrix says.

I nod. So, Spindle is dead, and so is Leon and the boy from One. Only a few of us are left.

I nod, and clutch my stomach. "How did you keep me alive?"

Lexi shrugs. "You would cooperate. Like... you were half awake! If we told you to drink water, and poured it down your throat, you would."

I smiled. "Thank you."

She nods, and holds out a handful of nuts. "Want any? We found the walnuts all around here. Their pretty good."

I smile, and take one. She coughs, and wipes her eyes.

"So, has anything else happened?" I ask Hendrix.

He shrugs. "I think the Careers split up."

"And he and Tide are the only boy's in the Arena," Lexi says, cracking a grin. "Only seven left."

A loud boom breaks the air, and I sigh. "Make that six."

After a while, we decide to go look for some food. Hendrix glances around, his sword tight in his grip. Lexi kicks a few rocks around. I begin thinking about how this all going to end.

At some point, we're going to turn on eachother. Hendrix could easily kill both me and Lexi in one swipe. But I have my axe. My axe will keep me alive.

When we get around a feild that dotted with cactus's, we look at one, deciding if it's pousiness or not.

Lexi snaps her fingers, and grins wider than before. "I know this! It's not pousiness! You can tell by the form of the buds and needles! It's called a Barrel Cactus! The food-trainer told me so!"

I trust her completely, so in one swift motion, I bring my weapon slicing the cactus diagonally. Some water splashes out, and we use our empty bottles to drink. It's sweet, and I can't get enough of it. The cactus inside looks like any other fruit meat, so we help ourselves.

In the end, the cactus meal was delicious. And Lexi was right. None of us are vomiting or fainting. When Lexi goes to find some Bitter Apple plants she thought she saw a few yeards back. While she dissapears in the small little grove of trees, I face Hendrix.

By now, we're lyeing on the ground, staring up at the sky- or I mean, dome. "Isn't it amazing," I whisper. "That they've created this. With the push of a button, they could create a... sand tornado or something and kill us."

He gives a weak laugh. "Don't give them any ideas."

I smile, and breath out through my nose. I pull twist my red hair in my palm, sometimes chewing on it. "I'm not sure if I want to die or live."

He gives me a look. "What're you talking about? Don't you _want _to make it out?"

I sigh. "Yeah, I need to get home to my sister. But, the thing is... For me to win, someone has to die. I've killed two people. _Two _living creatures. I'm a murderer. I kill. I'm not sure if I deserve to win."

He nods. "But that was in self defense. It's not like you were hunting squirrels or rabbits or deer. That's cowardly and makes a person worthless. You're stuck in here, and you're forced to do this."

After a few moments, I look at him. A question that's been swirling in my head comes out. "Hendrix, why did you save me? You could have let Shimmer just kill me. Why did you rescue me? No one would have blamed you for my death."

He seems to think about his answer carefully, and then looks at me, his eyes connecting with mine. "I guess I had a bit of a crush on you then. But don't worry..." He says quietly, and looks back at the cloudless sky. "I'm over it."

I feel my cheeks turn pink, and not from the sun. I suddenly think about eveything over again. Do _I_ like _him?_ No, I don't think I do. I just think that I want something to cling to.

Suddenly, a scream splits the calm, hot air. I bolt up, and so does Hendrix. For a moment, everything's quiet. Then, it comes again. A small shreik that's closer and sounds terrified.

I see Hendrix's eyes dialate in fear, and I realize who it is a second after him; It's Lexi.


	7. The Games Continue: Revenge

She breaks out of the brush, dashing towards us. Behind her is the boy from Four, Tide. He throws the net in his hand, and it falls over, and the weights on the side seem to cling to the ground. She struggles in the net, screaming for help.

Before me or Hendrix can react, the boy stabs her in the upper abdomen with his trident. He twists it, and she screams again. It's the worst thing I've hear in my life.

Hendrix suddenly begins crying, and clutches his ears, sinking to his knees. I watch Tide give a nasty smile, stick the sharp weapon in her again, and this time... she's silent.

I give a horrible yell, and he grabs the trident and races off. I run towards her, and sink to my knees. "Lexi..."

Her eyes turn and look at me, her bright blue eyes gleaming. She tries to move her hands, but she can't. Instead, I push mine through the netting and take both of them in mine.

She draws in a breath, and it sounds like a rattling cage. She leans over, and hacks up blood. _He stabbed her lungs... _Tears flood my eyes, and I watch the drops fall on her frial arms and wrists.

She smiles, and it seems like it's the biggest effort in the world. "Fern, I know I'm going to..."

I squeeze her hands and watch as a tear falls from her small face. "You'll be fine."

She swallows. "I want you to- I want you to win. When you go to my District on the," she grimaced, and her grip loosened. "On the Victory Tour... give this to my parents. It'll mean more coming from- coming from you."

She slowly pulls a ribbon from her pocket and tucks it in my palm. "Thank you, Fern. I won't- I won't ever forget you."

She closes her eyes, and then opens them, staring up into nothingness. For a moment, nothing happens. I can hear the vultures crowing in the distance, Hendrix crying, and my labored breathing. Then... A cannon booms in the distance.

I cry more than ever, and open my fist. Inside is her little pink ribbon. Sitched carefully is_: I Love You My Little Plum_. After that is a heart.

Something changes inside of me. Her parents will never see her again. She's dead now. She's gone forever. They can't speak to her now. They can't tell her how much the love her. The Games have torn another family apart. Lexi was innocent; what crime did she commit against them? She had no control over what the rebel's did. It wasn't her fault!

I find myself picking up my axe, and running. I am _going _to find the boy from Four. I will_ not _let her death go unsung. Following the broken brush, I hear voices.

Standing quietly, I recognize them. It's Tide and Pepper's.

"Did you kill them all?" I her Pepper ask.

Next, it's Tide's. "Just the girl from Five. Not her District Partner or Seven."

Pepper sighs. "Idiot... Oh well. It's better than nothing... Did she beg?"

Tide laughs. "A little when I found her."

Pepper begins to laugh as well, and anger grows as strong as fire in me. I leap out, and bring my axe down. A second later, the girl from Two is moaning on the ground, and the boy looks horrified. I swing the sharp blade down again, and this time, and cannon goes off.

Her skull bloody, and mouth slightly open, she lies there dead. I turn from Pepper to Tide, and he reaches for his trident. It still has Lexi's blood on it.

I try to hit his neck, but the golden trident blocks it. I kick him in the stomach, and he keels over, and I kick the trident away.

He stares up at me, and begins to cry. "Please, don't hurt me. Shimmer told us where you were, kill her!"

I shake my head. "You're begging? Like Lexi?"

His eyes grow wide.

"Did you show _her_ any kindness?" I ask. For a moment he looks innocent. Then the image of Lexi crying, entangled in that net while her torso bleeds breaks through the surface. I close my eyes, and cut him in one swift motion.

He's dead in a second; the cannon proves it.

I sink down to my knees, and turn to the side to vomit. I stare at my hands, covered in blood. I can't tell who's it is. I just killed two people. _Two living creatures. _Two animals.

In total, I have murdered four. Both from Four. I have killed Pepper, Tide, Morgan, and the girl from Eleven; all of whom tried to kill me.

I stare at their corpses, and crawl over towards Pepper. Her brown hair that was in a perfect high-ponytail is now black- darkened with blood. Her eyes glisten, looking off nowhere while her mouth is mid-moan. He arms and legs are splayed out.

I push her over onto her back, and rip off her pack. She lays face down on the ground now. Un-zipping it, I find a pack fruit, beef strips, a water skin, a pouch of knives, and a first aid kit.

My mind begins to drift, and I think about both of them- Pepper and Tide. What did they see before I killed them?

Pepper didn't have time to react. She most likely saw a blur leap from the bushes and felt something sharp hit her. The second impact probably didn't even register to her.

But what about the boy? Did he regret killing Lexi? Did he see the fire in my eyes? _He had said Glimmer told them... _

My anger splits in two, and suddenly Glimmer is my target. There are only three of us left- Me, Hendrix...

And Glimmer


	8. The Games End: Victory

Suddenly, the trees shook and the air swirled, throwing dust over my face, onto Tide and Pepper. It whizzed around, stinging my arms, digging into my eyes,

I gasped, but sand just went down my throat. I stood up and stumbled out of the thicket, running. I tripped over something, and managed to open my eyes and look at the horizon.

It was giant cloud of tan: Sandstorm.

The Gamemakers were driving the final three of us together, and it was working. I saw Hendirx;s footsprints leading away. Standing up again, I rain as fast as my legs would carry me away from the storm. Red hair flying, I could feel the cameras on me, showing I was moving. My hands clutched my axe, and Lexi's ribbon.

Where was I going exactly? I had no idea where the Gamemakers were leading us, all I knew was that I wanted to get away from the giant sheet of sand.

As my legs burned, I urged meself to continue. Things gradually came back into veiw. The little spring I collected water at, the giant cliff, the pine trees until... The boulder feild.

Of course, the rocks would break up the wind! I ducked inside, behind one, and for a few minutes curled upon the ground with my head against the rock, feeling slight breezes that got by.

When the howling stopped, I lifted my head slowly.

This was a mistake. Something striked my head, and the world titled as I fell onto the ground. I saw a flash of yellow, and my blood boiled: Shimmer.

She's about to raise her club again, but something tackles her. My vision clears a little, and I realize it's Hendrix. He raises his sword, and stabs Shimmer in the stomach.

She screams, clutching the bloody wound.

Hendrix breathes heavily. "That's for Lexi."

Shimmer glares at him, and then clubs him as well. Before I can react, she hits him mroe tiems than I count. I try to yell, but a squek comes out instead.

I can't move. Once she stops, the air splits with a cannon. Tear rise in my eyes. Hendrix is dead. He was so close.

I regain my footing, leaning against the stone. She turns around, and laughs.

"Are you kidding me?"

I weakly raise the axe, my hands shaking. I ignore the streams of blood surrounding my boots, but focus on her face.

Shimmer smirks. "And here I was thinking that two against one was unfair. One of them is knocked senseless and the other is dead."

I ignore her last comment, and lunge forward.

She slashes me on the back when she dodges with a blde she must've pulled from her pocket.

I gasp, feeling the warm liquid stain my already dirty green shirt. She just smiles. "One against nothing is fair to me."

Nothing. The words bubble in my ears, and I think back to when Pine was speaking to me in the Justice Building:

_"You will survive, Fern."_

_"I'll try."_

_"No, not just try. You'll win."_

_"Pine, I-"_

_"No! Don't you let them crush you into nothing. You are somthing. Your smart, strong, and clever. You can do this. You aren't nothing, you are perfect just the way you are."_

_"Pine, I really don't-"_

_"Stop it! Don't talk, only hug me... I'll see you when you get home, okay? When your the Victor."_

I shake my head. "No, sending two Careers after a twelve year old is unfair. That makes you nothing."

In one swift motion, I pul her leg out from under her, and she gets the wind knocked out of her when she hits the ground.

I look down at her. "I am something. I am perfect the way I am... I am the Victor."

And I swing my axe down, and just as cannon sounds, I drop to my knees and cry.

Just cry.


End file.
